SCDF and CNB chiefs on bail, in separate investigations

[lianbeng]

lianbeng told u all this bugger will walk free u all no belip lah! 黑白两道通吃！black white both ways all eat! who can nail him to the coffin?

 

[Enforcer]

lianbeng told u all this bugger will walk free u all no belip lah! 黑白两道通吃！black white both ways all eat! who can nail him to the coffin?

Somemore still got job waiting for him.

 

[lianbeng]

Somemore still got job waiting for him.

lianbeng replies: ofcoz lah he is CPIB Chief u know? black money left hand in right hand out and white money right hand in left hand out! longzong jia kar liao!

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

What next for Ng Boon Gay and Cecilia Sue?

In his grounds of decision, District Judge Siva Shanmugam had described Ms Cecilia Sue (left) as an unconvincing and untruthful witness. This could mean Ms Sue might possibly face perjury charges for not telling the truth in court. Mr Ng Noon Gay (right) may not be totally off the hook because the prosecution can still appeal.

By Shaffiq Alkhatib
The New Paper
Sunday, Feb 17, 2013

SINGAPORE - Mr Ng Boon Gay, 46, may be in high spirits after he was acquitted of corruption.

But he may not be totally off the hook because the prosecution can still appeal against the judge's decision.

When approached, an Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) spokesman said the prosecution would study the grounds of decision and assess whether or not to appeal.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday said it started civil service disciplinary proceedings against Mr Ng in late January last year on charges of serious personal misconduct.

Suspended

Its spokesman said Mr Ng had been suspended from duties pending the outcome of these proceedings.

The disciplinary proceedings were subsequently put on hold following the corruption charges that were brought against him, the spokesman said.

He added that disciplinary proceedings would remain on hold pending the prosecution's decision on whether or not to appeal.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs expects its officers, regardless of position or seniority, to uphold the highest standards of duty and integrity at all times," the spokesman said.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim's lawyers say Nimrod didn't have special advantages
By Kimberly Spykerman & Claire Huang | Posted: 18 February 2013 1827 hrs

Peter Lim (C), leaves the subordinate court for a lunch break with his two lawyers in Singapore on February 18, 2013. (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN)

SINGAPORE: The sex-for-contracts corruption trial of former Singapore Civil Defence Force Commissioner (SCDF), Peter Lim opened on Monday.

Lim faces 10 charges of corruption.

He allegedly obtained sex from three women seeking contracts with the SCDF.

The prosecution will proceed with only one of the graft charges for now, involving Pang Chor Mui.

Lim has denied all allegations of corruption.

The 52-year-old is accused of corruptly obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang at a carpark in Stadium Walk in May 2010 in exchange for advancing her company's business interests with the SCDF.

Ms Pang was then the general manager of Nimrod Engineering - a company that provides security systems.

The alleged corruption revolves around a tender document that SCDF put out on April 6 2011 - calling for bids to supply Radiation Portal Monitors.

The prosecution's case is that Nimrod Engineering obtained the information about the SCDF's need for these machines from Lim even before it was made public.

The company's business development manager Tan Peng Leng - who was the prosecution's first witness, said Ms Pang had instructed him to source for suppliers of these machines some time before March 18 - at least three weeks before the tender was made public.

At the time, Nimrod Engineering did not supply such machines.

However, Mr Tan said she did not provide him any technical specifications such as budget, model numbers or pricing, adding that he only received the information after the tender had been made public.

In his opening statement, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng said Lim knew Nimrod Engineering was an existing vendor to SCDF at the time of the alleged offence.

Nimrod supplied products to SCDF and also provided after-sales warranty services for those products.

He added that Lim knew Ms Pang was aware of of his position as Commissioner of the SCDF and therefore had reason to believe that she would give in to his request for oral sex so as not to jeopardise her company's business relations with the SCDF.

Defence counsel Hamidul Haq disputed this, saying that Lim and Ms Pang shared a genuine friendship, and that the intimacy between them arose from a flirtatious relationship that involved much teasing and banter.

He said that Lim did not engage in oral sex with Ms Pang with the intention of showing favour to her company.

It was as a one-off encounter, and a personal indiscretion. He added that Lim had not at any time asked for oral sex, and said the state is not responsible for policing marital vows.

Mr Hamidul also noted that the charge against Lim doesn't specify the act of corruption, and doesn't link the physical encounter between them to the alleged corrupt act.

Turning to the 6 April tender, Mr Hamidul noted that Nimrod Engineering didn't have an advantage over other companies bidding for the contract, as Ms Pang had not provided any specifics when she asked Mr Tan to source for a supplier.

In fact, Mr Tan had said he didn't sense anything abnormal about Ms Pang's request as it came around the time of the 2011 earthquake in Japan, when concerns about radiation were rife, and had assumed she saw business potential in the product.

Mr Hamidul also pointed out that Nimrod Engineering had successfully bid for contracts with the SCDF in the past, and there had been no suggestion in those cases that any corruption was involved.

Nine other charges of corruption against Lim involving two other women were stood down in 2012 and will be dealt with separately.

The trial continues and Ms Pang is expected to take the stand later.

- CNA/ck

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Corruption trial of ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim starts
By Claire Huang & Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 18 February 2013 0935 hrs

Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim Sin Pang (R) arrives in court with his lawyer (photo: Kimberly Spykerman, Channel NewsAsia)

SINGAPORE: The corruption trial of former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim Sin Pang has started.

Lim, 52, arrived at the Subordinate Courts at about 9am on Monday, accompanied by his lawyers.

Lim is accused of obtaining sex from Ms Pang Chor Mui of Nimrod Engineering in exchange for advancing her company's business interests.

Ms Pang was a general manager when she allegedly had oral sex with Lim in May 2010 at a carpark in Stadium Walk.

In his opening statement, lead prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng said Lim knew that Nimrod Engineering was an existing vendor to the agency at the time of his alleged offence in May 2010.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Tan told the court that Nimrod had supplied products to the SCDF and provided after-sales warranty services for those products.

DPP Tan said that when Lim obtained oral sex from Ms Pang, he knew she was the general manager in Nimrod and "knew that she was aware of his position as the Commissioner of SCDF".

It is the prosecution's case that Lim knew or had reason to believe that Ms Pang would give in to his request for oral sex, as Ms Pang was interested in having further business dealings between her company and SCDF.

DPP Tan added that Lim also knew that Ms Pang was aware that he was involved in the approval process for contracts awarded by SCDF to vendors.

Defence counsel Hamidul Haq argued that Lim "categorically denies" any allegation of corruption.

Mr Haq said the charge against Lim does not specify the act of corruption and fails to link the physical encounter between Ms Pang and Lim to the alleged corrupt act.

Mr Haq added that Lim does not have guilty knowledge nor corrupt intent as the intimacy between the two arose out of a longstanding friendship.

The defence counsel also said that there was no intention by Ms Pang to use the sexual act as an inducement.

Mr Haq said the SCDF tender was an open, not a closed, process.

In summary, he said Lim's only wrongdoing was his "personal indiscretion" but the state "is not responsible for policing marital vows".

Ms Pang is expected to take the stand as a witness for the prosecution during the trial which is expected to last until 21 March.

Nine other charges of corruption against Lim were stood down in 2012 and will be dealt with separately.

The charges involve sex with two other women - senior executives Esther Goh of IT firm NCS and Ms Lee Wei Hoon of Singapore Radiation Centre.

- CNA/ir

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Peter Lim claims sex was in the heat of the moment

AsiaOne
Monday, Feb 18, 2013

SINGAPORE - Former civil defence chief Peter Lim, 52, is claiming that he had a "genuine" relationship with Ms Pang Chor Mui of Nimrod Engineering and the incident of oral sex occurred due to the "uncontrollable emotions in the heat of the moment", Shin Min Daily News reported.

Ms Pang was then the general manager of Nimrod Engineering, an equipment supplier to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Lim is facing trial for obtaining oral sex in 2010 from Pang at a car park near the Singapore Indoor Stadium in May 2010.

Lim's lawyer is arguing that Lim at no point of time requested the oral sex.

This contradicts prosecutors' claims that Pang feared she would "jeopardise" her company's "existing good relations" with the SCDF "if she did not give in to his request for oral sex".

[email protected]

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Trial of ex-SCDF chief: Prosecution says Peter Lim obtained oral sex corruptly

Published on Feb 18, 2013

Former SCDF commissioner Peter Lim arrives at the Subordinate Courts on Monday, Feb 18, 2013. -- PHOTO: WANBAO

By Lim Yan Liang

Former SCDF chief Peter Lim knew or had reason to believe that a woman would give in to his request for oral sex because she was interested in having further business dealings between her company and the SCDF, a court heard on Monday morning.

Lim, 52, faces 10 counts of corruption in a sex-for-contracts case. But, as decided earlier, the prosecution will proceed with one charge involving Ms Pang Chor Mui from Nimrod Engineering first.

In his opening address, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng said that Lim, who was the Commissioner of the Singapore Civil Defence Force, knew that Nimrod was an existing vendor to SCDF at the time of the oral sex on May 2, 2010.

Nimrod had supplied products to SCDF, and also provides after-sales warranty services for those products.

When he obtained oral sex from Ms Pang, he knew she was the general manager in Nimrod Engineering and he knew that she was aware of his position at the SCDF, the court heard.

The DPP said she was concerned about the existing good relationship that she and her company had with Lim, and she did not wish to jeopardise this relationship by upsetting him if she did not give in to his request for oral sex.

The prosecution said it will also provide evidence to show that after Lim had corruptly obtained oral sex, he contacted Ms Pang to ask about the supply of Radiation Portal Monitors to the SCDF. This was when SCDF's need for such monitors was not yet publicly known, and Nimrod also did not supply them at that time.

With this information, Nimrod proceeded to source for suppliers of these monitors, and later submitted a bid for a contract to supply them to the SCDF, the DPP said.

The prosecution said that under the Prevention of Corruption Act, any gratification given to or received by a civil servant, from a person who has or is seeking to have business dealings with the Government, shall be deemed to have been given and received corruptly. The burden of proof is on the civil servant to prove otherwise.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief trial: "Not an abnormal request" to research radioactive detectors

Published on Feb 18, 2013

The first witness in the sex-for-contracts trial involving former chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Peter Lim Sin Pang, business development manager Mr Raymond Tan Peng Leng (pictured), was called to the stand Monday morning. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

By Lim Yan Liang

The first witness in the sex-for-contracts trial involving former chief of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Peter Lim Sin Pang was called to the stand Monday morning.

Business development manager Mr Raymond Tan Peng Leng during cross-examination by the prosecution and the defence, said that he was told in March 2011 to look online for suppliers of walkthrough radioactive detectors on the instructions of Ms Pang Chor Mui.

He told that court that this was before the SCDF tender documents were released and he was not given specifics such as budget and deadline.

He found two American companies, and Nimrod Engineering eventually worked with one of them to tender for the SCDF project called in April 2011, which asked for the same type of detectors that he had researched.

When asked if he felt it was an abnormal request, he said: "No, in my thinking because I thought it is for the Japanese earthquake, there's a disaster so in my mind I thought she saw some potential in this product and asked me to look for this."

Lim, 52, faces 10 counts of corruption in a sex-for-contracts case. But, as decided earlier, the prosecution will proceed with one charge involving Ms Pang Chor Mui, in her 40s, from Nimrod Engineering first.

Lim is alleged to have received oral sex from Ms Pang on May 2, 2010 in exchange for furthering the business interests of her former company.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Trial of ex-SCDF chief: Defence says Peter Lim had "genuine" relationship with woman

Published on Feb 18, 2013

Former SCDF Commissioner Peter Lim arriving at the Subordinate Courts on Monday, 18 Feb 2013. The lawyer of former SCDF chief Peter Lim on Monday morning said his client categorically denies any allegations of corruption, and will disprove the "nebulous" arguments of the prosecution. -- PHOTO: WANBAO

By Lim Yan Liang

The lawyer of former SCDF chief Peter Lim on Monday morning said his client categorically denies any allegations of corruption, and will disprove the "nebulous" arguments of the prosecution.

Lawyer Hamidul Haq said that Lim had a "genuine friendship" with Ms Pang Chor Mui of Nimrod Engineering, and it "involved playful and teasing banter, and intimacy between them".

The oral sex was a "one-off encounter" and was merely a physical expression of the personal relationship shared between the two, he said. Lim did not at anytime request to be fellated by Ms Pang.

The lawyer noted that Ms Pang - who is said to be married and a mother of a teenager - has since resigned from Nimrod.

He added that Lim's only wrongdoing was his "personal indiscretion" and said the state is not responsible for policing marital vows.

Ms Pang, who is in her 40s, is expected to take the stand as a witness for the prosecution.

Lim faces nine other charges of corruption but these have been stood down and will be dealt with separately.

They involve sex with Ms Esther Goh of IT firm NCS and Ms Lee Wei Hoon of Singapore Radiation Centre.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief on trial: Nimrod 'above-board' when it made a bid for SCDF tender

Published on Feb 19, 2013

By Tham Yuen-c And Goh Shi Ting

The employer of the woman who had an illicit tryst with former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim Sin Pang, stood to gain a $400,000 contract if it was awarded a tender by the Home Team agency.

This was revealed in court on Tuesday, by Nimrod Engineering sales manager Lee Yong Chin, who took the stand on the second day of the sex-for-contracts corruption trial.

Mr Lee said Nimrod had quoted about $400,000 to supply the SCDF with radiation detectors and maintenance of the equipment.

On the first day of the trial, the prosecution had linked this contract to the tryst between Lim and Ms Pang Chor Mui, a general manager from Nimrod.

Former SCDF commissioner Peter Lim at the Subordinate Court during the second day of hearing of his corruption trial. The employer of the woman who had an illicit tryst with former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim Sin Pang, stood to gain a $400,000 contract if it was awarded a tender by the Home Team agency. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

Get a copy of The Straits Times for the full story.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief trial: Peter Lim arrives for Day 2 of corruption trial

Published on Feb 19, 2013

Former SCDF commissioner Peter Lim at the Subordinate Court with his lawyers K. Bala Chandran (right) and Hamidul Haq (left) on the second day of hearing of his corruption trial. The sex-for-contracts trial continued on the second day following the arrival of former Singapore Civil Defence Force chief (SCDF) Peter Lim Sin Pang at the Subordinate Courts at around 9.10am on Tuesday. -- PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

By Goh Shi Ting

The sex-for-contracts trial continued on the second day following the arrival of former Singapore Civil Defence Force chief (SCDF) Peter Lim Sin Pang at the Subordinate Courts at around 9.10am on Tuesday.

First to take the stand on Tuesday morning was prosecution witness, Mr Lee Yong Chin, a sales manager from Nimrod Engineering, a security systems company at the centre of the corruption case. The prosecution began its questioning of Mr Lee on Monday.

The prosecution has charged that the company received prior information from Lim regarding a tender before it was made public in April 2011.

Lim, 52, faces 10 corruption charges, one of which involves Ms Pang Chor Mui, a former general manager of Nimrod Engineering.

Get a copy of The Straits Times for the full story.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Peter Lim had 'flirtatious' friendship

By Joy Fang
My Paper
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2013

IT WAS a "flirtatious relationship" which resulted in a "one-off" physical encounter.

That was the case put forth yesterday by the defence lawyers of former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim Sin Pang, 52, on Day One of his sex-for-contracts corruption trial.

RELATED STORIES

Special: The Peter Lim trial
He has been charged with obtaining oral sex from former Nimrod Engineering general manager Pang Chor Mui, who is in her 40s, on May 2, 2010, in exchange for advancing the business interests of the company.

The remaining nine charges against him, which involve sex with two other women, have been stood down and will be dealt with separately.

In his opening address, Lim's lawyer, Mr Hamidul Haq, said Lim "shared a genuine friendship with Ms Pang", a friendship that was born of the emotional connection between them, and the friendship involved "playful and teasing banter".

He said Lim "categorically denies" any corruption allegation.

Mr Haq said the former chief did not have any guilty knowledge, nor did he have corrupt intent to advance Nimrod's business interests, and he had "no reason to believe or suspect" that the oral sex was to induce Lim to favour Nimrod.

Lim also did not, at any time, request Ms Pang to perform oral sex on him, he said.

Nimrod is a security firm that provides hardware, such as metal detectors. It had submitted a bid for SCDF's open tender put up on Apr 6, 2011. When that tender was cancelled and SCDF called for a second one in December 2011, Nimrod bid for that, too.

Mr Haq said the timing of the tenders and the May 2, 2010 oral sex "suggest that there is no connection" between the two. He added that their friendship had no bearing on the tenders' outcome. "Our client (Lim) did not

influence or attempt to influence the SCDF procurement process, or the evaluation process independently conducted by the evaluation committees," he said.

It is currently not known if Nimrod was awarded the tender. But between 2002 and last year, it was awarded other SCDF contracts. Ms Pang joined Nimrod in 2005 or 2006.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Sales manager takes stand in ex-SCDF chief's trial
Posted: 19 February 2013 1605 hrs

Former SCDF chief Peter Lim (C) arrives for the start of the first tranche of his trial. (Photo: Lim Wee Leng, Mediacorp)

SINGAPORE: A sales manager for Nimrod Engineering said he did not detect any corruption while preparing the submissions for a tender that was called by the Singapore Civil Defence Force in 2011.

Mr Lee Yong Chin, who took the stand on Tuesday -- the second day of the sex-for-contracts case involving former SCDF chief Peter Lim -- is the prosecution's second witness.

Lee had prepared and signed off on the documents that were submitted for the tender.

The tender -- which called for bids to supply Radiation Portal Monitors -- is at the centre of the trial, with the prosecution alleging that Nimrod Engineering obtained the information about the tender from the former SCDF chief even before it was made public.

52-year-old Lim is accused of obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang Chor Mui, a general manager of Nimrod Engineering, at a carpark in Stadium Walk in May 2010 in exchange for advancing her company's business interests with the SCDF.

But Mr Lee told the court he did not believe any employee of Nimrod Engineering had received any insider information with regard to the tender details and specifications, as these only became available when the tender was made public on 6 April 2011.

However, these specifications were only forwarded to Mr Lee's colleague, business development manager Tan Peng Leng, on 21 April.

Defence Counsel Hamidul Haq then pointed out that it would be in Nimrod Engineering's interest to have sent the information earlier.

But Mr Lee said he had not received any instruction from Ms Pang, whom he reports to, to proceed, even though he alerted her to the tender around the time it was first published.

It was revealed that the contract, if Nimrod had won the tender, would have been worth about S$400,000.

Ms Pang is expected to take the stand as the prosecution's witness later.

The court also heard that the tender, which closed on 3 May 2011, was cancelled in October the same year in order for SCDF to review its technical specifications.

A re-tender was called by SCDF later that year, and Nimrod Engineering also submitted a bid.

- CNA/al

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

EX-SCDF chief could have posed conflict of interest in procurement process
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 19 February 2013 2054 hrs

Peter Lim (C), leaves the subordinate court for a lunch break with his two lawyers in Singapore on February 18, 2013. (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN)

SINGAPORE: On the second day of the sex-for-contracts trial of former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim, the court heard that he had a hand to play in the procurement process which could have led to a conflict of interest.

Lim's lawyers have said he had no bearing on the evaluation committee's decision to award any tender but the court on Tuesday heard that he had the final sign-off on all procurement processes of the SCDF.

This was revealed by the prosecution's third witness - Ms Chin Lai Fong, who is the director of the SCDF's logistics department.

She said Lim sits on both tender boards that signed-off on all recommendations for procurement put forward by the evaluation committee.

If the procurement value is less than $1 million, it goes to Tender Board A, where the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Director of Finance, all from SCDF, would sign off.

If the procurement value is above $1 million, it goes to Tender Board B, where it will be signed off by Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Deputy Permanent Secretary, and SCDF Commissioner.

The prosecution then pointed to a government instruction manual that drew links to the fact that Lim should have declared a conflict of interest and excused himself from the procurement process.

The manual states that where in the course of an officer's work, the officer must declare when a decision is taken on issues in which he may have a personal interest.

Lim is accused of obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang Chor Mui, a general manager of Nimrod Engineering, at a carpark in Stadium Walk in May 2010 in exchange for advancing her company's business interests with the SCDF.

However, his lawyers said in an opening statement on Monday that Lim and Ms Pang were close friends, and that their intimacy stemmed from a flirtatious relationship.

Still, it is the prosecution's case that he tipped off Nimrod Engineering about the SCDF's need for walk-through radiation portal monitors even before this information was made public.

The tender was only published on the government e-procurement website GeBiz on April 6, 2011.

The prosecution drew attention to the fact that the Lim had broached the topic of getting more of these machines on either March 16 or 17.

This was around the same time Ms Pang instructed a colleague to source for suppliers of these machines.

SCDF had been instructed to carry out radiation screening on passengers arriving into Singapore following the Japanese earthquake in 2011 that damaged a nuclear plant.

The court heard that SCDF had six deployable machines but some were faulty. Lim was concerned about this and discussions followed as how soon they could be fixed or if it was necessary to procure additional portals.

At the time, no decision was made on whether to call for tenders.

Nimrod Engineering employee Lee Yong Chin who took the stand earlier in the day testified that he didn't believe the company had received any insider information.

As the company's sales manager, he was responsible for preparing the documents to submit for the tender. He also revealed that the contract, if Nimrod had successfully bid for the tender, was worth about $400,000.

Ms Pang is expected to take the stand at a later stage.

The trial continues.

- CNA/fa

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng doubts this bugger got chance to walk out free man like Ng Bogay! see his lanjiao face also sian liao!

 

[lianbeng]

What next for Ng Boon Gay and Cecilia Sue?

lianbeng says: carry on sucking lah, what's next? nothing wrong to suck mah!

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief trial: Day 3 begins with cross-examination of director of logistics

Published on Feb 20, 2013

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) director of logistics Chin Lai Fong is seen here on Day 2 of the sex-for-contracts trial involving former SCDF Peter Lim Sin Pang. The SCDF director returns to the witness stand today to be cross examined. -- ST FILE PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

By Derrick Ho

The sex-for-contracts trial continued on the third day after former Singapore Civil Defence Force chief (SCDF) Peter Lim Sin Pang arrived at the Subordinate Courts at around 9.10am on Wednesday.

SCDF director of logistics Chin Lai Fong is set to return to the witness stand to be cross examined.

On Tuesday, the prosecution questioned her to establish why the SCDF needed to purchase new walk-through radiation detectors back in 2011.

Over the past two days, two managers from Nimrod Engineering, a security systems company at the centre of the corruption case, were also cross examined to establish details of its tender process and the timeline of events leading up to the submission of the tender. Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force are likely to take the stand on Wednesday

Get a copy of The Straits Times for the full story

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

Ex-SCDF chief trial: Two other companies contacted before tender of radiation devices

Published on Feb 20, 2013
By Derrick Ho

Former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim on Day 2 of his sex-for-contract trial. At least two companies were also contacted by the SCDF about radiation portals before the tender was made public in April 2011. -- ST FILE PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had contacted at least two other companies about radiation portals before it put up a public tender for the equipment in April 2011.

One of the companies was Secom, an existing vendor of the Home Team agency and the other was IPS Securex.

Secom was asked about the price and availability of walk-through radiation detectors shortly after the SCDF was told by the Home Affairs Ministry to be prepared to scan arriving passengers at Changi Airport, in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

IPS Securex was asked to give a demonstration of its equipment.

These emerged in court on Wednesday morning during the cross examination of SCDF logistics director, Colonel Chin Lai Fong at the corruption trial of former SCDF commissioner, Peter Lim Sin Pang.

Lim, 52, is on trial for having an illicit tryst with Ms Pang Chor Mui at a carpark in May 2010, in exchange for furthering the business interests of her employer Nimrod Engineering.

At the time, Ms Pang was Nimrod's general manager.

The prosecution has charged that Nimrod, a security systems company had received prior information from Ms Pang - Lim's one-time lover - regarding the tender before it was made public in April 2011.

Defence lawyer Hamidul Haq asked Col Chin if there was any wrong-doing involved in contacting the companies before the tender was put on government bidding site, GeBiz.

Col Chin said no and added that she did not give the companies any details of exactly what the SCDF needed.

Ms Pang is is expected to take the stand as a prosecution witness during the trial.

 

[Ginchiyo Tachibana]

EX-SCDF chief could have posed conflict of interest in procurement process
By Kimberly Spykerman | Posted: 19 February 2013 2055 hrs

Peter Lim (C), leaves the subordinate court for a lunch break with his two lawyers in Singapore on February 18, 2013. (AFP/ROSLAN RAHMAN)

SINGAPORE: On the second day of the sex-for-contracts trial of former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim, the court heard that he had a hand to play in the procurement process which could have led to a conflict of interest.

Lim's lawyers have said he had no bearing on the evaluation committee's decision to award any tender but the court on Tuesday heard that he had the final sign-off on all procurement processes of the SCDF.

This was revealed by the prosecution's third witness - Ms Chin Lai Fong, who is the director of the SCDF's logistics department.

She said Lim sits on both tender boards that signed-off on all recommendations for procurement put forward by the evaluation committee.

If the procurement value is less than $1 million, it goes to Tender Board A, where the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Director of Finance, all from SCDF, would sign off.

If the procurement value is above $1 million, it goes to Tender Board B, where it will be signed off by Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Deputy Permanent Secretary, and SCDF Commissioner.

The prosecution then pointed to a government instruction manual that drew links to the fact that Lim should have declared a conflict of interest and excused himself from the procurement process.

The manual states that where in the course of an officer's work, the officer must declare when a decision is taken on issues in which he may have a personal interest.

Lim is accused of obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang Chor Mui, a general manager of Nimrod Engineering, at a carpark in Stadium Walk in May 2010 in exchange for advancing her company's business interests with the SCDF.

However, his lawyers said in an opening statement on Monday that Lim and Ms Pang were close friends, and that their intimacy stemmed from a flirtatious relationship.

Still, it is the prosecution's case that he tipped off Nimrod Engineering about the SCDF's need for walk-through radiation portal monitors even before this information was made public.

The tender was only published on the government e-procurement website GeBiz on April 6, 2011.

The prosecution drew attention to the fact that the Lim had broached the topic of getting more of these machines on either March 16 or 17.

This was around the same time Ms Pang instructed a colleague to source for suppliers of these machines.

SCDF had been instructed to carry out radiation screening on passengers arriving into Singapore following the Japanese earthquake in 2011 that damaged a nuclear plant.

The court heard that SCDF had six deployable machines from a company called Secom, but some were faulty. Lim was concerned about this and discussions followed with his senior management as to how soon they could be fixed or if it was necessary to procure additional portals.

At the time, no decision was made on whether to call for tenders.

Lim later directed Ms Chin to contact a vendor called IPS Securex to invite the company to do a demo of its radiation portal monitor and assess its suitability for SCDF's needs.

According to Ms Chin, the company did the demo on either March 17 or 18. However, SCDF later rejected the product as Ms Chin and colleagues from the Hazardous Materials Department said they did not find it suitable and had given Lim their reasons.

Channel NewsAsia understands IPS Securex is linked to the Singapore Radiation Centre which employed one of the three women Lim allegedly obtained sex from in exchange for contracts with the SCDF.

Nimrod Engineering employee Lee Yong Chin who took the stand earlier in the day testified that he didn't believe the company had received any insider information.

As the company's sales manager, he was responsible for preparing the documents to submit for the tender. He also revealed that the contract, if Nimrod had successfully bid for the tender, was worth about $400,000.

Ms Pang is expected to take the stand at a later stage.

The trial continues.

- CNA/fa